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U.S. House Majority Leader: Keystone Pipeline Shows Contrast In 2nd District Race

U.S. House Majority Leader: Keystone Pipeline Shows Contrast In 2nd District Race

John Lyon • Arkansas News Bureau / U.S. House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California, center, speaks at a news conference at the Welspun pipe plant in Little Rock on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2014, in support of Republican 2nd District congressional candidate French Hill, right. Looking on is Welspun President Dave Delie, left.

McCarthy joined Republican candidate French Hill in a news conference at the Welspun pipe manufacturing plant in Little Rock, which laid off some of it workers in 2011 because of delays in the Keystone XL oil pipeline project, which faces opposition from environmentalists.

McCarthy and Hill criticized Democratic candidate Patrick Henry Hays for having expressed opposition to the Keystone project three years ago. Hays’ campaign said later that Hays supports the project.

“There is a contrast in what’s happening in America today, a contrast to the current Obama economy and what could be for America, and it’s going right here in this congressional race,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said while standing in front of stacked pipes that Welspun produced for the Keystone project.

McCarthy said it was “shocking” that in November 2011 Hays joined with dozens of other mayors from around the country in sending a letter to President Barack Obama arguing that it was “not in the national interest” to approve the Keystone pipeline, which was to transport tar sands oil from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast.

‘My question to Mr. Hays is, is it not in the national interest, or even in the interest of Arkansas, to have people working?” McCarthy said.

Hill, a Little Rock banker, said the project would promote North American energy independence as well as benefiting the economy. He said voters can choose between a man with 35 years of business experience and “a guy who’s just a career politician who writes letters blocking industrial improvement and economic growth by opposing Keystone’s development across our country.”

Hays, a former state legislator and North Little Rock mayor, supports the Keystone project, his campaign said in a statement Wednesday.

“This is just the latest sign of how out-of-touch French Hill really is: He thinks things are going fine in Washington and that an endorsement from a California politician and the leader of the broken Congress will help him here in Arkansas,” said David Furr, Hays’ campaign manager. “Mayor Hays initially had some questions on the impact of the pipeline, received an evaluation and now supports it — which French could have found out by going to his website.”

Hays’ website states that he “strongly supports completion of the Keystone pipeline.”

Hill and Hays will face Libertarian candidate Debbie Standiford in the Nov. 4 election. U.S. Rep. Tim Griffin, R-Little Rock, who currently holds the 2nd District seat, is running for lieutenant governor instead of seeking re-election.

McCarthy also was scheduled to make an appearance Wednesday in Hot Springs in support of state Rep. Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs. Westerman is running against Democrat James Lee Witt and Libertarian Party candidate Ken Hamilton in the 4th District congressional race.